


You Could Play No Pranks

by aspiringenjolras



Series: The Nine Lives of Broadway Jellicles [4]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Genre: Gen, StopTugger2k16
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 14:52:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8018341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiringenjolras/pseuds/aspiringenjolras
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skimbleshanks is utterly unamused by The Rum Tum Tugger's antics during the ball, and Tugger can't handle rejection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Could Play No Pranks

**Author's Note:**

> This fic, like "If Opposites Attract...", was based on my own observations of the show, and a discussion with Tyler Hanes and Aaron J. Albano (Skimble's understudy) afterwards.

“The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat!”

_ Bloody hell, not again.  _ It wasn’t that Skimbleshanks wasn’t expecting the song. No, he’d known it was coming. He’d heard the bastard practicing for the past week. But  _ Everlasting Cat _ , Tugger certainly knew how to cause a stir.

Skimble had never seen the tribe so wound up before. Tugger’s performances were nothing new, but he seemed especially wild tonight. 

As he sang, the kittens flocked around him, and Skimble chased them around, trying (in vain) to pull them away from Tugger. His efforts were fruitless, however, and the song ended with the younger cats bouncing off the walls and the older Jellicles watching, unamused. Still, even Munkustrap didn’t seem to be as horrified as Skimbleshanks was.

He stalked off to complain to Jenny, leaving the other cats to deal with whatever stunts Tugger would pull next.

 

***

 

“What’s his problem with you?” Tumblebrutus asked curiously, poking his head over Tugger’s shoulder. The other tom jumped, the kitten seemingly coming up out of nowhere. Much like the question.

“Who?” Tugger asked, although he knew very well which cat Tumble was talking about.

“Skimbleshanks!” the young cat said brightly. “He seemed really mad during your song.”

“Oh, him?” Tugger laughed, a bit nervously, trying to brush off the question. “He’s just a spoilsport, you know? Doesn’t like to have fun. I think the most fun he has is trying to interfere with  _ my  _ song. In fact—” Tugger was desperate to cover up his own disappointment and embarrassment. “I think Skimble actually has a crush on me!”

Tumble looked unconvinced, but he shrugged. “I dunno… could be. Most people do.” And with that, he bounded off to go play with Pouncival and Carbucketty, leaving Tugger once again alone with his thoughts. 

**Author's Note:**

> So as I watched the show on Saturday, I was keeping my eyes open for what Skimbleshanks was doing during Tugger's song. I figured he would be jamming with the rest of the cats, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Skimble spent the entire number running around trying to put a stop to it. He even went as far as to literally pull kittens away from Tugger (it didn't work very well, they just kept flocking back). I was losing my shit the entire time, but not only did it fit my headcanon and the premise of these fics incredibly well, but I just had to wonder... why does Skimble have a bone to pick with Tugger, really? 
> 
> So I decided to ask Tyler and Aaron. And this is how it went:
> 
> Me: What is Skimble's beef with Tugger? What's his problem?  
> Tyler: I dunno man but he just doesn’t like me [Tugger]. I actually I think Skimble has a crush on Tugger.
> 
> And I had to laugh because honestly it was the opposite of my headcanon. But that's where the inspiration for the scene between Tumblebrutus and Tugger came from. I could just imagine Tugger saying that to cover up his own crush. Why did I pick Tumblebrutus? Callan Bergmann (my fav cast member) was on as him for that performance, and we had a moment, so he was on my mind.
> 
> But then...
> 
> Me: Okay so what's Skimbleshanks' problem with Tugger? I saw what you were doing during the song, why is he out to get him?  
> Aaron: Skimble likes everything organized and orderly and neat and Tugger is the opposite of that. He's a disruption to everything Skimble stands for, and he hates it.  
> Me: Ya know, Tyler told me that he thinks Skimble has a crush on Tugger.  
> Aaron: Well, that could be.  
> Me: But see... I think it's the other way around.  
> Aaron: Yes! That's good! *high-fives me*
> 
> ...Tuggershanks confirmed. Next time I need to clarify a few things with Tyler though, and also I need to talk to Jeremy about the same thing...
> 
> Stay tuned for more Jellicle antics in the next few days!


End file.
